Music News
Polo G Announces New Album THE GOAT
Chicago rap prodigy Polo G has announced his sophomore album, and it’s arriving in just a matter of days. Titled THE GOAT, it’s set to drop May 15th through Columbia Records. The upcoming effort arrives less than a year after his breakout debut, Die a Legend, which included highlights like “Pop Out” and “Finer Things”. Whereas that 2019 record saw the young hip-hop star mourn the deaths of close ones, THE GOAT is “a celebration of life and legacy,” per a statement. Its cover artwork, seen below, fittingly features the 21-year-old Polo and his son Tremani. A full tracklisting for the new album hasn’t been revealed, but it is expected to include the two previous singles “DND” and “Go Stupid”. There might also be a song that pays tribute to the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, according to Com...
Barack and Michelle Obama to Lead YouTube Virtual Graduation Ceremony Alongside BTS, Lady Gaga & More
YouTube has announced a video graduation ceremony for the class of 2020, as students currently won’t be able to celebrate in person due to the coronavirus pandemic. The virtual pomp-and-circumstance will feature commencement addresses by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as well as appearances by Lady Gaga, BTS, and more. The special, dubbed “Dear Class of 2020”, promises “festival-style lineup” with a variety of programming. There will be formal speeches, graduation day-themed discussions, and even musical performances — all while adhering to quarantine restrictions. Taking place on Saturday, July 6th, the ceremony will last multiple hours and stream live on the YouTube Originals channel and the Learn@Home website. In addition to the Obamas’ individual commencement speeches a...
Tony Iommi: It “Would Be Good” to Play More Black Sabbath Shows
Black Sabbath seemingly played their final shows ever in February 2017, but guitarist Tony Iommi now says he’s “not opposed to” playing more gigs with his legendary metal band. In a new interview with SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation”, Iommi expressed a bit of regret in ending Sabbath’s touring career. “It was great to be able to go out and do a final tour,” said the guitar icon. “To be honest, I felt a bit bad [about] it, because it was basically my choice, my fault, because touring, for me, at that extent wasn’t a good thing physically.” Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but revealed he was in remission in 2016. He added, “To get in at four o’clock in the morning from doing a gig … you’re living a life like I used to when I was 20 … It was just difficult, and my doctor said to me ...
Marilyn Manson Wants to Team Up with Brandi Carlile for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Duet
Marilyn Manson is a big fan of Brandi Carlile, so much so that the Antichrist Superstar wants to duet with the alt-country singer on the Wizard of Oz classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Carlile revealed the tidbit during a new interview with host Zane Lowe on his Apple Music program, remarking, “Marilyn Manson wants to record ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ with me. He’s been texting me about it.” When Lowe responded, “Do that!”, Carlile answered, “Okay, I will.” She also added, “[Manson] came to my Joni Mitchell Blue show. I did a show where I did all of Blue by Joni Mitchell at Disney Hall in LA. He came, and he cried so hard. He had all his makeup down his face, and turns out he’s the biggest Joni Mitchell fan on the face of the planet.” The original version of “Somewhere Over the R...
Gibson Offering Free Virtual Guitar Tune-Ups for Quarantined Musicians
With plenty of playing time now at their disposal, quarantined musicians may be wondering how they can best keep their instruments in tip-top shape. It turns out they won’t have to look beyond their computer screens: Gibson has announced it will provide free virtual guitar tune-ups. The complimentary offering is part of the company’s new fully interactive Gibson Virtual Guitar Tech Service. This program pairs up customers around the world with a member of Gibson’s team of professional techs. Available in English, Spanish, French, and German, these basic online tune-up tutorials can assist with Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer or Steinberger electric or acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, or electric bass. In order to take advantage of Gibson’s new service, folks must first sign up for a fre...
Kurt Vile Covers John Prine’s “Sam Stone” During Love From Philly Livestream: Watch
Virtual music festival and fundraiser Love From Philly took place this past weekend and boasted headlining performances from local heroes Kurt Vile and former bandmates The War on Drugs. Broadcast from his own basement, Vile’s set featured his 2010 song “I Know I Got Religion” and 2015’s “I’m an Outlaw”. The main highlight, though, came towards the end when the guitar maestro paid tribute to the late John Prine by covering his classic “Sam Stone”. Vile and Prine actually performed the track together before during a concert in Philadelphia two years ago. Vile has also repeatedly praised the folk legend in interviews. Speaking to The Guardian in 2018, he described Prine as “one of the greatest living American songwriters: he’s a killer performer and storyteller, with all these lamenting...
Migos Celebrate “Taco Tuesday” on New Track: Stream
Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday this year, and I didn’t even realize it until Migos dropped their new song. The auspiciously timed track is called “Taco Tuesday”, and you can stream it below. As far as the song itself goes, “Taco Tuesday” is a pretty basic cut that barely goes over a minute and a half. The Migos trio, represented by different colored hot sauces in the corresponding lyrics video, trade verses in which they drop a bunch of Mexican food puns while making standard boasts about cash and girls. The whole affair opens with a sample of LeBron James screaming for his favorite weekly meal. Listen to “Taco Tuesday” via its lyric video below, and perhaps get ready for more Migos in the near future. Last month, Quavo teased the possibility of a “Quarantine Mixtape” to keep fans satiat...
The Weeknd Guests on American Dad, Performs New Song “I’m a Virgin”: Watch
Throughout his entire discography, The Weeknd dishes on his salacious, sex-fueled nights and his luxe life of fancy cars and mansions. For his latest project, however, the Canadian R&B singer is looking to change that narrative, if for just 30 minutes. Abel Tesfaye co-wrote and starred in the newest episode of Seth MacFarlane’s American Dad. Titled “A Starboy is Born” (referencing his Starboy album from 2016), it sees the artist show his true colors — and it’s a stark contrast from the rich playboy we’ve all come to know. Kidnapped by Roger the Alien, The Weeknd settles into the Smith family household surprisingly quickly, reveling in homemade lasagna, mundane house chores, and suburban pleasantries. “I miss being around boring people like this family,” he says at the dinner table. The...
Psycho Las Vegas Festival Won’t Take Place in 2020 Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
The Psycho Las Vegas festival will no longer take place in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, organizers hope to have most of the scheduled acts return for the 2021 edition of the multi-day event at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. This year’s edition, slated for August 13th-16th, was set to feature Danzig, Mercyful Fate, Emperor, The Flaming Lips, Blue Öyster Cult, Down, Mayhem, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and many more acts. According to a statement from organizers, “nearly all bands have signed on for the new dates but we are awaiting confirmation from one final artist before presenting our updated lineup.” Those new dates, which include the Psycho Swim pre-party, run August 19th-22th, 2021. Technically, the event is being rescheduled, which means ticket holders can us...
Wire Change Share New Single “The Art of Persistence”: Stream
Wire were all set to drop their 18th studio album 10:20 on Record Store Day. But with that particular holiday delayed and practicing social distancing, the post-punk rockers have now announced that 10:20 will instead be available on all platforms on June 19th. To tide fans over until then, Wire has shared the nearly new song “The Art of Persistence”. Like most of the “strays” being collected on 10:20, “The Art of Persistence” has been around in one form or another for a number of years. It first popped up when the band reconvened in 2000, and made appearances on The Third Day EP (labelled as a “First Draft”) and then as a live performance on Recycling Sherwood Forest as part of Wire’s Legal Bootleg series. Musically, “The Art of Persistence” is a thr...
